Hakuouki: Dawn of the Oni
by Ryn Kashiel
Summary: Kazama Chikage is set to fulfill his duty as the leader of the strongest Oni clan in the West: to take a suitable wife and produce an heir. However, discovering that his sister is with the Wolves of Mibu becomes a major setback for the young clan-head. Thus, feelings are tossed aside as Chikage found himself torn between his duty and his emotions. [KazaSen, OCxShinsengumi]
1. I: The Revelation

**RK:** Hiya! I'm not used to adding author's notes before the actual story but, eh, why not? Like what's in my bio, I'm initially a writer from fictionpress (you can search me under the same name; I have an ongoing work there!) but I'm a huge fan of Hakuouki and I'm saddened by the fact that there aren't a lot of KazaSen fics here in ff. (forgive me, Chizuru-fans, but I don't really like her paired with any of the guys except Hijikata T_T Sen-hime all the way~) And so, I decided to make one to end this bugbear.

* * *

Night had fallen and the red-light district of Kyoto was busy with its patrons going in and out of the tea-houses or pleasure houses. *Geikos were obviously flaunting their beautiful kimonos as they walked the crowded streets accompanied by either a chaperone or a servant. Inside one of the well-known establishments in Shimabara, Kazama Chikage was alone, one leg propped up as he sat and stared blankly at the shouji doors in front of him.

Quietly sipping a cup of sake, the blond oni had his thoughts plagued by the pitiful war transpiring in the country. _Foolish humans._ If it wasn't for his duty as the head of the Kazama clan, he would, without a doubt, stay in the Western lands. The Oni had no business with human affairs; and it was only due to the fact that during the end of the Sengoku era, the Daimyo of Satsuma became a surrogate father to his ancestor, Kazama Chitose. As a result, his clan was bound by allegiance to Satsuma's government, and he had no choice but to honor it.

His thoughts went to the dilemma he had even before he arrived in Kyoto: the burden of getting a suitable wife for the sole purpose of producing an heir. It wasn't as if he would die anytime soon, but the elders of the Kazama clan wanted to ensure that they would have a future no matter what happens in Japan as the humans continue with their folly.

 _Yukimura Chizuru._ She was the perfect match for him. Definitely not in terms of strength and power, but she was a pure-blood like himself—the last remaining female oni of the once proud Yukimura clan in the East.

He first met her in Ikedaya Inn and was surprised to know that she was with the Shinsengumi. Those fools who call themselves samurai thought that they can protect the capital with nothing but sheer determination and willpower. The only thing that they had was talent in wielding a blade, even though he wouldn't outwardly say it and his pride was trying to deny it. _Nevertheless, Chizuru is better off living with her own kind._

It wasn't as if he had feelings for her; but the very fact that she was living with the Wolves of Mibu was enough to make him feel utterly disgusted. The way she clung onto that _fool_ Hijikata Toshizo when he tried to snatch her away from the Shinsengumi one fateful night was simply unbecoming of a pure-blooded oni—and one with noble blood coursing through her veins no less. To be honest, he didn't give a damn if the girl held any affection for anyone in that ragtag group of ambitious warriors. His concern lies only with how he would persuade her to come with him and be his wife. And if she wouldn't accept his request, he would have no choice but to change her mind or better yet, steal her away from the Shinsengumi; and he definitely preferred the second option.

Chikage was not known to possess a long thread of patience. For him, whatever needs to be done must be acted upon immediately. _This is all for the benefit of everyone back home._ Every single thing that he did was for his family; and now, he had more responsibilities on his shoulders as the clan leader. Technically, he wasn't supposed to acquire the position at such a young age. Yes, he was still young; because unlike humans who age and die quickly, the Oni could live for many centuries or more if they were fortunate enough—and he was barely in his first while the elders of the clan have survived for more than seven centuries already.

"If only _she_ hadn't disappeared," he growled, unable to suppress his frustration.

Suddenly, he was pulled out of his reverie when he felt a familiar aura near the shouji doors. The blond oni did not change his sitting position as the princess of Yase entered the dimly-lit room.

"I knew you were here," she stated, situating herself in front of him.

"What business do you want with me, Sen- _hime_?" he needed to be alone to plan his next move and evaluate what he had accomplished in the past few months; the last thing he wanted was to have a conversation with the Yase princess.

"Nothing. I was just going to ask your progress with Chizuru."

He dismissed her query and gestured for her to fill his cup with sake. Sen gracefully obliged but proceeded to unnecessarily lecture him, much to his dismay.

"I've told you this before, Kazama, if you wanted a girl to like you, then you should at least consider her feelings and try to understand her depths. Forcing someone to be your wife is insane as it is...but if you look for ways to sweep the girl off of her feet, then you'd kill two birds with one stone. You get yourself a wife and then you can go back to the West."

Responding with a nonsensical retort wouldn't help him escape this situation in any way (plus, he might get another hit on the head if he did just like last time). On second thought, he could just ignore her again; but Sen's countenance was surprisingly screaming with concern. For whom, exactly? For him? He inwardly snorted at the thought. Of course, her worries were for Chizuru, no doubts about that.

For some reason however, he couldn't stop himself from making a smart-ass comment about her expression: eyebrows knitted and lips formed into a pout. A conversation with Princess Sen is taxing indeed (even more than that carefree Shiranui) and he wasn't one to talk about a lot of things. He did listen to the words of the clan elders back in the West and also regarded whatever Amagiri says whenever his intuition about something seemed accurate; but talking with her is a complete waste of his precious time and energy.

"I didn't know you were worried about me," the words rolled on his tongue before he even realized that he _did_ make a nonsensical retort. He was already expecting her to raise her fan but instead, the faintest hints of a blush crept up her cheeks.

 _Hmph. Seems like I hit the mark._ Even so, that was completely a bolt out of the blue and...quite suspicious of the female oni. A smirk graced his emotionless visage as his orbs of ruby met her magenta ones.

"I-I'm not!"

If this was the usual Sen, she would immediately shrug it off and continue lecturing him about how to properly court women, or yet again, he might've suffered another hit on the head. Chikage was certain that something's definitely not right. So when he heard her mumble "at least it wasn't me," his decision of avoiding a conversation with the princess of Yase was thrown to the furthest ends of his mind.

"Is that so? Then I suppose it's Chizuru?" he asked again, taking another sip of sake.

"No, it's—"

Sen pursed her lips. Good, she knew that she got caught. Kazama would find out whatever it was that she's hiding. He was fully aware that the Yase princess also didn't like indulging herself in chatting with him even though she frequently tarried in the Sumiya; and her bodyguard, Kimigiku, who's working there as a geiko, was not with her as well. Furthemore, it was obvious that she was looking for him when she suddenly barged inside the room.

"Tell me. Who's _worried_ about me?"

The female oni let out a sigh of defeat. However, his anticipation was shattered when Sen answered him.

"It's Kyouko."

 _She's here in Kyoto?_ He never expected that fate would be this cruel to throw another boulder at him. Nevertheless, he'd always find a solution to whatever problem he faced. He had exhausted himself and worked endlessly for it. The results were fruitful and all his hard work had paid off; his clan was living in peace and safe from the clutches of the humans. He was able to fortify their village and now, all he needed to do was to pay the debt his clan had with the Satsuma-han and take a befitting wife.

...But the knowledge that he would once again see Kyouko was painfully sinking in his mind.

And so, for the first time in his life, Chikage found himself weak and he couldn't do anything about it. He wanted to kill someone, _anyone_ , to rid himself of this pathetic state of not knowing what to do or how to act with the matter at hand. It was obvious that Sen was expecting him to be rattled with the information she had given him; the Yase princess didn't even flinch when Chikage's sharp eyes widened after she told him about his younger sister.

Gathering his sanity, Chikage managed to speak; his deep, baritone voice an octave lower than usual. "Where is she?"

Sen stood from her kneeling position on the floor and turned to leave him alone once again. But before she closed the shouji doors, she answered his query as if he was simply asking about something so trivial.

"She's with the Shinsengumi."

* * *

*Geiko - term for geisha or Japanese female entertainers in Kyoto.

 **RK:** Kazama Chikage is a very interesting character to write. He's a bit of our beloved men from the Shinsengumi if you would notice: ill-tempered and merciless like the _oni no fukucho_ Hijikata; can be annoying as hell when he opens his mouth like Souji; somewhat egotistical like Shinpachi; reckless and brash like Heisuke; and a _kuudere_ like Saito.

...But deep down, I think he's similar to Sanosuke when it comes to family and stuff. You know, the overprotective, _I-won't-let-anyone-hurt-you_ type of guy. Not that I'm saying that Sano is the only one to think that way. He is simply more open to outright expressing it (accompanied by affectionate words) unlike the others. Oh well, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please leave a review~


	2. II: Kazama Kyouko

**RK:** Yayyyyy! I survived the semester omggg. Sleepless nights are over at last! I've been waiting for this so I can finally have my daily dose of Hakuouki again (yep, I'm gonna re-watch it to avoid contradictions between the characters and the scenes plus making them OOC).

So without further ado..

* * *

It's been a week since Kyouko became a temporary resident in the Shinsengumi headquarters. _And almost nine days since the fire incident._ The burning image of her house was repeatedly playing inside her skull and she was reminded of all the struggles she had to face just to find a place she could call home. A modest dango shop owned by a sweet old lady was where Kyouko had spent most of her years after arriving in Kyoto. Mari-obaachan had no child and had become a widow at a young age. Despite of those things, the female human had remained kind and was loved dearly by her customers.

When Kyouko first tasted the dango sold in Mari-obaachan's shop, she found it utterly delectable and had asked the old woman how it was made. It was obvious that the kind shopkeeper needed help and Kyouko, who didn't have a steady source of income, gladly offered her assistance. She was the server, cleaner, and repairwoman of the dango shop. Their customers, especially the men who wanted to see the new beautiful waitress, had increased greatly. However, fate took the first human Kyouko had ever loved and she was forced to remember the bitter truth that humans are frail; they will die eventually due to old age or sickness.

When Mari-obaachan had passed away, her world had crumbled even though she knew in her heart of hearts that the old lady was happy and contented as she went onto the next world.

Of course, the dango shop was left in her care and she'd spent all of her energy running it. It was her only memory of the kind female human so she had treasured and cherished it as her own. Life needed to continue and she, too, had to move on. Mari-obaachan had taught her many things and she'll remember them for the rest of her existence. Thus, Kyouko began rebuilding herself for the second time; for the first one was when she had left the Western lands and fled into the capital.

 _It was pure luck that I stumbled upon Mari-obaachan's shop the following weeks after arriving here in Kyoto._

Nostalgia was devouring her but then she remembered that the first unit should be returning from their patrol any minute now. _Oh, shoot!_ With haste, Kyouko went back to her task and started hanging the washed haoris; she finished the rest and prayed that Okita Souji's group would arrive late today. Kyouko almost tripped as she quickly walked to where the kitchen was located.

* * *

"Is there something bothering you, Kazama?"

The blond oni didn't make an effort to reply. His thoughts were fully occupied with the rebarbative information Sen had given him last night. Going for days without sleep was something that had never bothered nor hindered him; yet he was feeling unusually restless at the moment. Amagiri may or may not have the knowledge that his younger sister was in Kyoto, _and was with that pathetic group of foolish warriors at present_ , but for now, he would have to leave that and focus on the task at hand. The leaders of the Satsuma-han had called them to serve as bodyguards while the discussion regarding the smuggled weapons—brought by foreign ships and were currently being offered to their military force—was taking place in one of the inns where the agents of Satsuma were staying.

Such meetings were usually conducted during late hours but the foreigners had insisted that they do it earlier to avoid being caught. The Satsuma agents who had dealt with them had agreed without complain; they must have learned something from the previous incident in Ikedaya where the Bakufu dogs had suddenly appeared and disrupted their ongoing discussion. A lot of their men had been arrested in the scene as well, so conducting early meetings seemed to be the better gamble.

The two were treading their way to the inn, with the red-haired oni a few paces behind Chikage; but even with the amount of distance between them, Amagiri Kyuuju could feel the agitated aura radiating from the Kazama clan-head who normally possessed a composed and collected air of presence.

 _Maybe he's thinking about the Yukimura girl again,_ Amagiri told himself. He wanted to ask further questions but it would be best not to pry on his personal issues—if he wanted to avoid Kazama's wrath, that is.

Turning right would take them closer to their supposed destination but Chikage kept going forward; he was walking the path which led to the marketplace. Amagiri still followed suit and thought that maybe he simply wanted to buy something before going to the inn. They weren't late for the meeting anyway.

Even so, that would be quite atypical for Kazama. He would commonly go straight to wherever they were required to go and be done with it. The blond oni was vocal about his loathing for human affairs (or humans in general) but since they were vassals to the lords of Satsuma, they had no choice but to heed to their command until their land-debts were paid. That's why whatever it was that he was planning to buy must certainly be of great importance.

"Kazama, what is it that—"

Amagiri halted from his query when he saw what _really_ made Kazama go straight into the marketplace and ignore the shortcut which they had recently passed by.

The Wolves of Mibu were conducting their usual patrol again and were probably on the way back to their headquarters. Ignoring the warning bells in his head, Chikage advanced and was quickening his steps when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He paused to regard Amagiri but his ruby eyes immediately went back to the patrolling unit of the Shinsengumi moving further away from them.

"We do not have time to deal with the Shinsengumi at the moment, Kazama. It would be wise that we go to the inn immediately," stated the red-haired oni.

Clicking his tongue, Chikage said nothing as he turned around and proceeded walking the opposite direction to where the Mibu wolves were going. Amagiri shook his head and let out a small sigh, trailing behind him once more.

They finally reached their destination and both oni went inside the lodge. Seated in a large room were the vanguard of the Satsuma-han assigned in the capital and three foreigners, each holding heavy, rectangular cases. The discussion regarding the smuggled weapons and its prices commenced and Chikage silently listened, inwardly criticizing the treacherousness of the humans and their greed for power.

Suddenly, his thoughts betrayed him and he found himself thinking about his younger sister again. Amagiri must have noticed his frustrated expression, taking a glance from his post at the other end of the doorway.

"I'm paying the Bakufu dogs a visit tonight," his deep voice was barely audible but Amagiri managed to hear him and nodded in response.

* * *

"Do you need help, Kyouko-chan?" greeted a cheerful voice.

"Ah, Chizuru-chan. Yes, yes, do you mind making some tea? There's still some green tea leaves here but I think we have to go buy some more tomorrow," replied Kyouko who's filling the bowls with rice.

The two girls finished their task in the kitchen (with Kyouko doing most of the work) and were holding the trays of food to be served in the spacious room where the Shinsengumi captains ate. Kyouko went twice to get the other trays and back to the common room while Chizuru was left boiling tea in the kitchen.

"Hey, Kyouko."

Kyouko abruptly spun in her heels, causing her to lose balance. She was about to drop the trays of food on the floor but Harada Sanosuke quickly snatched both trays from the girl before they slip from her palms.

"Oi..that was close," he stated as he directed his amber eyes to the mildly stunned female.

The blonde recovered from her startle and met his stare, offering the 10th division Captain a sheepish smile. She grabbed the other tray back and walked inside the common room to place it on the floor while Sanosuke did the same.

"Next time, don't just suddenly call people _especially_ when they're holding heavy trays of food, ne, Harada-san?" she chided him. Kyouko counted the trays to make sure she cooked enough for everyone before going outside to stretch her arms a little. Sanosuke followed and casually leaned against the wooden post.

"Yeah, yeah, my bad. And stop that, alright? It's Sano."

She was about to retort when she saw the other captains walking closer to them. So she pushed Sanosuke back inside, the latter still telling her how old he feels when she addressed him as 'Harada-san'. Then the other men entered the common room and began having their lunch as soon as they sat down on the floor. Kyouko was already used to them complimenting her cooking and it warmed her heart when she sees the satisfied expression everyone had while eating the food she'd painstakingly prepared. She was naturally a terrific cook but she wanted to make every meal extra special because she was cooking for _them_. Honestly, she still had no idea why they offered her a place to stay when she's but a mere friend of Chizuru. Even then, Kyouko had to somehow repay them for their kindness, regardless of it being genuine or not.

 _Chizuru's extremely fortunate to have met these people._

The usual ruckus during meals with the Shinsengumi had transpired and the blonde had found it surprisingly amusing: Nagakura Shinpachi stealing food from Todo Heisuke's plate, making the latter whine and try to snatch it back. Laughter filled the room as they all watched the small fight between the two captains—except their demon vice commander, Hijikata Toshizo, of course, who simply gave out an exasperated sigh.

Kyouko beamed; to once again feel a sense of belongingness was a luxury she desired the most. She was hoping…praying that the camaraderie between her and the Shinsengumi would somehow blossom and deepen—if that was even possible for someone like her. _But they knew of Chizuru's real form and still, they accepted her._ She wanted to earn their respect; for they had already earned hers, months before she was offered to stay with them. The Shinsengumi may have been hated by many in the capital but Kyouko had always admired them for protecting the people—even at the cost of their lives and reputation.

The scent of green tea leaves permeated the common room as Kyouko continued to fill each of their cups, her own tray of food left untouched. Dismissing the captains' goading (plus Hijikata-san's) with an excuse that she wasn't hungry yet was a piece of cake. But when it was Isami Kondo who finally asked her to eat, armed with that terrifyingly gentle voice no one can say no to, Kyouko blurted the first thing that came to her mind. "Uhm, I was actually waiting for Okita-san to arrive so.."

All eyes fell on the other untouched tray of food next to Saito Hajime's. "That's right, Souji hasn't arrived yet, has he?"

"Then if that's the case.."

Kyouko glared at the smiling Shinpachi before he could lay his hands on the tray. "H-Hey Kyouko-chan, don't give me that look.. It's kinda unsettling to see the same pair of red eyes staring at you like that you know. Man, you really are _his_ sister," stuttered the 2nd division Captain. Rolling her eyes, the blonde stood and turned towards the shouji doors.

"That's because I didn't put green onions on that one, Nagakura-san. I'm going to get more tea," stated Kyouko as she walked outside the room. She heard him say "huh? what's with green onions?" and she sighed, slightly shaking her head at his query.

"I don't recall telling you that I dislike green onions, Kyouko-chan. Are you stalking me or something?"

She paused to look over her shoulder and saw Okita Souji leaning on the sliding door, his arms crossed as he narrowed his feline green orbs and gave her his signature grin. "I might have to kill you if you keep doing that, you know."

"I'm not stalking you. It's but a matter of being heedful of things, even those that others tend to ignore. Oh, and welcome back, Okita-san. You might want to eat your lunch now or Nagakura-san's going do the honors for you," she replied and offered him a small smile before walking to the kitchen.

* * *

Dusk had fallen and the Shinsengumi headquarters was enveloped by silence save for the mild rustling of leaves and the soft blowing of wind. Darkness had reigned over the compound with only the dim light from the lanterns inside the rooms illuminating the place. The moon was hiding itself and thick clouds had taken the pleasure of covering the stars.

Hearing creaks of wood and light footsteps, Kyouko stood from her seat and traipsed to where the sounds where coming from: the dojo. She was mildly vexed by the fact that her nightly meditation was disturbed but dismissed it, cracking a smile as she half-jogged to the location of the dojo. _There's only one person who would train this late._ So she wasn't surprised when she saw the captain of the 3rd unit practicing by himself, sweat sliding down his emotionless countenance and a bokken held firmly on his left hand. It seemed that he didn't notice her presence as he kept swinging the wooden sword against the air; each of his strikes precise and calculated. Grabbing another bokken, Kyouko gently tapped the wall with her knuckles and cleared her throat, causing the stoic man to halt and look at her.

"Mind if I be your sparring partner for the night, Saito-san?" she stated, readying in position in front of him. He gave a single nod before he steadied himself as well. Both were waiting for the other for a few seconds but it was the blonde who gladly initiated the first move. Saito blocked her attack with ease and the two parried, their wooden swords threatening to break from the force they were exerting. Their bokkens clashed a number of times but Kyouko landed the first strike, mildly shocking Saito. "You've improved, Miyazaki."

"No, you're just tired already. Let's spar again tomorrow, if that's fine with you. I still couldn't take that you defeated me with five moves last time so.."

Saito took the bokken from her grasp and placed both their wooden swords in the rack. The girl walked outside the dojo with him following after he slid the doors shut. They enjoyed the comfortable silence as they went back to where the sleeping quarters were located. Kyouko's room was between Chizuru's and Heisuke's, the crossdressing female's room to her left and the youngest captain's to her right—just three rooms away from their vice commander's. The chambers belonging to the other captains were at the other side facing theirs, the well-kept garden (courtesy of Kondo-san) at the middle, separating them.

Stopping by her room, Kyouko thanked the indigo-haired man and was about to bid him goodnight when they heard steel clashing on steel followed by a loud thud. _A fight…?_ Saito speedily moved to where the tumult was resonating as Heisuke, looking fully-awake but was in his sleeping robe, emerged from his room and ran after him. With haste, Kyouko scampered inside her own room, grabbed her katana and dashed to the scene as well. "Kyouko-chan, what was that?"

The blonde looked over her shoulder and saw Chizuru scurrying behind her. "I don't know, but I think I heard Hijikata-san.." Both girls ran as fast as they could until they finally reached the commotion. The other captains were already there, all in their fighting stances. Keeping her presence of mind, Kyouko readied herself, her senses heightened as she analyzed the scene before them: the feared Shinsengumi vice commander spewing out expletives as he stood upright, his purple irises searching for his opponent. She drew her blade from its sheath which was clumsily tied around her waist and gestured for Chizuru to move behind her. They were almost equal in terms of height; she was only about an inch taller than Chizuru. Nevertheless, Kyouko had seen the other girl in a skirmish during an afternoon patrol before. Chizuru wouldn't be able to fight head-on if push comes to shove and the blonde inwardly berated herself for not having the intuition to train her for the past few days.

Suddenly, there were gunshots and she saw Sanosuke sprint to his left, his spear on one hand. When Kyouko directed her eyes back to Hijikata, he was already on the ground spitting blood. The other captains were about to aid their vice commander but he yelled for them to stay out of his fight. Chizuru also froze in her current place but Kyouko dashed forward and in a split-second, she was in her fighting position in front of Hijikata. "Y-You idiot, stand back and get out of here, Kyouko!"

"I can't and I won't. You're already wounded, Hijikata-san. I'm not a member of the Shinsengumi but I would like to help you to the best of my abilities," she replied, staying alert as she waited for the intruder.

Without warning, flashes of yellow and red momentarily blurred her vision and she swung her katana forward; waves of her innate potence encircling her as she suppressed her Oni powers. _I can't let them see me in my true form. Not yet.._ She felt the reverberating force of her attacker's blade blocking her own and she prepared herself for his next move, adrenaline rushing through her veins as her heartbeat galloped in anticipation. However, when she readjusted her vision and saw who her opponent was, her heart stopped.

"Kyouko." Hearing him growl her name was enough to make her knees weak. That ever familiar baritone voice of his that had sent their enemies back in the West running in fear with their tails behind their backs like the inbred cowards they were. He, who had sworn to protect little Kyouko from anyone who would hurt her; the man to whom she had said, "I don't think I can ever hate you even if you start despising me for my blood," before she fled and went into the capital. Her respected, _beloved_ , older brother was here in the Shinsengumi headquarters, right before her eyes.

"Chikage-nii.."

* * *

 **RK:** And so the siblings finally met. What will our brave Shinsengumi captains and their vice commander do? Oh, and Sen is going to reappear in the following chapters that's for sure, heh heh. I had to introduce Kyouko Miyazaki/Kazama into the plot first, gomenasai. Plus, I would like to ask you guys, whom would like Kyouko to end up with? Well sure, the Shinsengumi guys would fall in love and go crazy for Chikage's sister but haha, I'm having trouble deciding who would win her heart in the finale. So I'm leaving the burden of choosing to you! Please leave a review, minna-san.


	3. III: Tainted and Derided

**RK:** And here's chapter 3! I can't believe I'm updating this rather than post the 4th chapter of my ongoing story in fictionpress. Meh, it was all thanks to my adoration for KazaSen that I'm doing this ahaha. But I gotta give Kyouko some background as the story progresses since she will have a big part in her nii-san's lovelife hoho. So please, bear with me while the purely romantic scenes take a backseat for now.

* * *

"W-What are y-you doing here..?" the girl queried as if she saw someone came back from the dead, her lips trembling slightly.

Only the ragged breaths of Hijikata and the sound of gunshots could be heard as the world halted from spinning. _Harada is battling with that gun-wielding oni then._ Both siblings maintained their fighting position, the girl was still gripping her katana, alert and ready to counter any attack. On the other hand, however, he could definitely see that there was the tiniest bit of change from her bastard of a brother's stance. Kazama seemed more relaxed than when he was clashing swords with Hijikata.

"I should be the one asking you that, Kyouko."

He wanted to just shove the girl away and continue his unfinished business with the blond demon; but he couldn't miss this rare opportunity. This was the first time that he, and all of the present captains including Chizuru, would know _and see_ what kind of relationship the two had as siblings. While Kyouko had easily divulged how she came wandering in Kyoto and met the old owner of the dango shop that was caught up in flames nine days ago, she had never revealed any information regarding her damned brother in the past week—when it was actually the real reason why they had decided to let her stay.

…well, part of it was compassion (mostly from Kondo-san and the baka trio) and he would be lying if he didn't say that he felt pity at least, for the girl. She had lost everything in a blink of an eye thanks to that inferno. Some of his men were immediately sent to the location to investigate if it was arson or simply an accident that turned into disaster. Chizuru's friend—what was her name again? Sen, was it?—together with another female, perhaps the same age as him, brought Kyouko to the Shinsengumi headquarters just hours after the fire incident.

Demanding to see Chizuru, Sen and her tall companion steadied the stunned girl who can barely stand due to the shock and trauma. The soldier assigned at the gates had quickly informed him and Yamanami Keisuke about it; then both men accompanied the missing doctor's daughter to meet her friends outside the main entrance. Sen had asked, no, _pleaded_ , that they take the blonde in even just for the night, explaining that no inn accepted lodgers at the moment.

Hijikata knew why of course. If the incident was indeed arson, any innkeeper would be wise not to let people rent rooms until the culprit is found. They would be involved in the questioning if suddenly, the culprit was arrested in their establishment; more importantly since it was the Shinsengumi conducting the investigation. And no one had ever wanted to get involved with them, all thanks to Serizawa Kamo.

 _One night wouldn't hurt anyone, plus, she's a friend of Chizuru…so why not?_ Acquiescing to the little lady's request, they led the shaken Kyouko to Chizuru's room. He and Sannan had shared just one meaningful look and he knew—Sannan _knew_ as well. It was apparent that the girl was connected to the arrogant oni whom they had fought several nights ago. Leaving the blonde with Chizuru, the two went to see Kondo for a brief discussion. After informing him (who felt extremely sorry for the poor girl), the chief had decided to deal with her in the morning together with the others.

True to his words, Kyouko was summoned in the common room after breakfast and was surrounded by the three high-ranking officers and all the unit captains. He was certain that it was a bit of a déjà vu for Chizuru—except the blonde wasn't bound by her wrists like the former during her own interrogation. Hijikata didn't stop their chief from the introductions this time and instantly went for the kill. _"What is your connection with Kazama Chikage?"_

Chizuru's eyes became big as saucers as his query hanged in the ambience. In return, the vice commander arched a brow at her. _How could she not know? The hair, the eyes..? The resemblance was very obvious at first glance._ Then again, Chizuru was just too trusting and truth be told, it was her greatest weakness.

What Hijikata couldn't comprehend however, was how his captains were _also_ shocked by this—specifically Heisuke and Shinpachi who both shouted, _"HAAAAH?"_

 _…ugh, idiots. Didn't they realize how similar they looked?_

" _He's my older brother."_ The girl seemed to be still in a daze due to her traumatic experience. _Heh, the bastard has an ***** imouto then.._ It was apparent that she would mindlessly answer every question thrown at her. _"I see. Your friend told us that you have no place to stay last night and I'm assuming, still none, correct? What's your plan?"_ She merely shrugged and as expected of the ever-kind Kondo Isami, he offered her to stay with them until she could find one. _"W-Wait a second, Kond—"_

" _Hijikata-kun, a word?"_ He was suddenly cut off by Sannan and he followed the bespectacled man outside and shut the paper doors behind them, hearing Kondo-san's voice reassuring the girl that _"Toshi may be like that but he's a good man. Everything will be alright."_

" _Well, spill it out. One more minute and we won't be able to change Kondo-san's mind. I mean, I pity the girl too but.. So far, our only knowledge of her is that she's Chizuru's friend and that oni bastard's sister."_ Hijikata paused, looking sideways then returned his gaze on him; his frown deepening.

" _Think about it, Sannan-san! If that Kazama finds her here, he'll have another reason to wreak havoc. Not that I'm frightened by him of course, but—"_ Much to his chagrin, Sannan decided to cut him off again.

" _Hijikata-kun, learning about the enemy is very essential. And Kazama-san is allegedly with the Satsuma, yes? Both Yukimura-kun and Okita-kun had encountered him in Ikedaya if I'm not mistaken. Given that, the sister might give us crucial information regarding our foes. Furthermore, it can be the other way around and she might be able to prevent Kazama-san from wreaking havoc here, as you said."_

" _I don't see any reason why she'd voluntarily do the second one. Care to explain further?"_

" _It is obvious that Yukimura-kun and the girl are very close.. or else their other friend, Sen-san, won't entrust the girl to her. Right now, Kazama-san proves to be dangerous for Yukimura-kun. And if she's a genuine friend, she wouldn't want to put the latter's life in danger, more so if her older brother is the one to cause harm, would she? "_

He looked at the calm man incredulously but took his statement into account. _"So, you're suggesting that we let her stay here.. You sound so sure about this, Sannan-san."_

" _The decision still rests upon your hands. Kondo-san trusts your better judgment as I do. But if the odds are in our favor, then I think that it's truly a risk worth taking."_

" _Fine. The girl will stay here for the time being and we would extract information from her. However, we must be wary of her actions for she may not turn out what she appeared to be."_

Forcing himself to stand, Hijikata willed his previous thoughts away and chided himself for not sensing that the tension in the air had thickened. _So, their sibling relationship is strained.._ Kazama was probably getting impatient with his sister's silence and walked towards her, his sword placed back on his waist. _What? Is he going to slap her?!_

 _Like hell, I'm gonna let that happen!_

Ignoring the ache pulsating throughout his entire body, he pulled Kyouko into his chest and locked her between his strong arms; his katana drawn towards her brother who had ceased from taking another stride.

"Hijikata-san..!" protested the girl.

Kazama drew his blade once more and narrowed his eyes at him, his Oni powers swirling around them as he transformed into his real form.

"Remove your filthy self from my sister. **Now.** "

Gone was his sun-colored mane, bleached by locks of pure white; his horns protruding, his ruby eyes replaced by twin gold shields. And before making a retaliation at his insult, Kazama was in front of him in a blur. He supposed his hands moved to parry his attack from pure instinct alone for there was no way that he could see him charge.

"Tch."

Hijikata realized that the reason why his arms were still intact after blocking the blond oni's katana with his own was because Kyouko was also gripping the handle; she had instantly held fast onto the edge when her brother had attacked. His instincts didn't save him from that blow, Kyouko did.

Out of nowhere, the red-haired oni whom he recalled as Amagiri, suddenly appeared beside Kazama.

"Kyujuu-niisan..?!" cried the girl. In a blink of an eye, the gun-wielding oni also showed up, lips curling upwards as he pointed his pistols at them. "Yo. Long-time no see, Kyouko-chan.."

"K-Kyo-niisan! You, too..?!"

His captains were quick to move, sprinting towards them in a heartbeat. Saito and Souji were at their right, ready to counter Amagiri in case he charges; at their left stood Shinpachi, grinning widely at the dark blue-haired oni. Sanosuke swiftly ran to the scene as well; his right arm was bleeding profusely but his smirk matched that of Shinpachi's. "We're not done yet, Shiranui."

The pistol-user snorted. "You sure you can still fight, Harada?"

With haste, amethyst eyes trailed their way to where Chizuru was. She was behind Heisuke, who was tightly clutching his sword, smiling like a boy finally released by his mother to play outside. Finally, he dragged his stare at Kazama again, who had reverted back to his normal appearance. "The Yukimura girl knows but a fraction of her real heritage. But _you_ , Kyouko.. You are fully aware that our kind has nothing to do with these scums yet it would seem that you have sought their protection."

She motioned for Hijikata to release her and he did. Two pairs of crimson orbs, one unreadable and one frightened, stared at each other. "You have tarnished the name of Kazama enough. You're a disgrace to the clan for involving yourself with lowly humans who are blinded by their pathetic ambition." Kazama practically spat the last sentence.

Even so, Hijikata could visibly see that the expression he wore contradicted his words—except for the mocking directed at the Shinsengumi, that is. _But of course. No matter how sick and heartless this guy is, she's still his imouto. Nevertheless.._

Glancing at Kyouko, he watched her head lower in humiliation, losing the supposedly staring battle she and her brother had. She was evidently trying her hardest not to shed a single tear. Hijikata knew that he shouldn't cross the line but what Kazama had told her was downright excruciating. Just then, Kyouko's head snapped back up, the fear in her eyes still eminent but was now mixed with abhorrence.

"Didn't I already shame the Kazama clan due to my…ha! What was it? Repugnant, tainted blood?! Thus, I left for good. And my name is Miyazaki Kyouko now! What do you want more?! I may have told you before, Chikage-nii, no, _Kazama-san_ , that I can never hate you even if you despise me for being a half-blood.. but don't you dare insult these men!" her voice was laced with every ounce of pain she felt and yet, she hadn't cried.

"I, for one, admire the Shinsengumi for their bravery and how they're all willing to sacrifice everything to reach their goal. And they don't give a damn about my blood or any other crap about me, unlike my _own_ kind.."

"Enough! You and the Yukimura girl are coming with us," was his guttural response. This was Hijikata's cue to interpose. "Not a chance, you bastard. You'll have to go through me, first."

"And all of us before you get to the ladies!" shouted Shinpachi. Kyouko snorted at him before facing her brother once more. "Killing me is necessary if that's what you want, Kazama-san."

"K-Kyouko-chan..! No, please!" It was apparent that Chizuru couldn't take it any longer and finally mustered the strength to speak.

"There's no point in ending your own sister's life, Kazama. What do you plan to do?" Amagiri's voice was inaudible but since he was the nearest among everyone, Hijikata heard him still. However, his archrival suddenly vanished and when he returned, Kyouko was by his side, his fingers wrapped around her wrist. "Wh-Wha—?! Let go of her!" Without much thinking, he lunged forward but Kyouko looked at him with pleading eyes and screamed, "No! Don't come near us, Hijikata-san!"

Kazama paid no attention to him as he yanked her wrist, forcing her to look at him. "I'll be back for the Yukimura girl. In the meantime, Kyouko.. we're going home."

With speed challenging that of her brother's, she quickly pulled her katana with her free hand and sliced his forearm; liberating herself in order to dash back to Hijikata's side. "The last thing I wanted to do is to go back! Like I said, you'll have to kill me first!"

The wound she made closed effortlessly and Kazama's cold stare was upon her again. "Don't force me to do something we both wouldn't like, little sister.."

"SHUT UP! I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE EVER AGAIN! I HATE YOU!"

Kazama's eyes widened as her voice continued to ring in everyone's ears. It took a few seconds before his typical unreadable expression crawled back on his countenance. "Then, I have no business with you."

Similar to what had happened before, he vanished into thin air, followed by Amagiri right after giving them a quick bow.

"Hey, Kyouko-chan! You don't hate your Kyo-niisan too, do you?" The pistol-user remained but seeing that Kyouko wouldn't speak, he offered her an unnecessary pout as he disappeared as well. Silence ruled over and surprisingly, Saito was the one who broke it. "Sano, it would be best to get Yamazaki now. Your bullet-wound hasn't stopped bleeding."

That statement stirred everyone to go back to their senses. Shinpachi went over to Chizuru; he and Heisuke accompanied the girl to her room. Sanosuke was about to go as well when Kyouko uttered, "Harada-san, may I see your arm?"

Souji, who was closest to Kyouko, patted her head and snatched her blade, putting it back on its sheath tied around her waist. Hijikata, currently being assisted by Saito—obviously, he and Harada were the only ones who got physically hurt—was reminded of the fact that Kyouko had actually saved his life. He didn't have the strength left to think of a proper way to thank her; but he could at least praise her for her act of valor in the meantime. "You've done well, Kyouko. You should go get some rest too."

At last, a smile made its way to her exhausted visage and she walked back to the direction of the sleeping quarters with Souji tailing behind her. Hijikata thought that she must be extremely tired but then she ran to catch up to Sanosuke.

"Kyouko-chan?" he said as his amber gaze turned to their vice commander. Hijikata grunted but went over to them, followed by Saito. Much to their confusion, the blonde reached out and placed an open palm centimeters above the 10th division Captain's wounded arm. Out of the blue, a warm glow emanated from said palm and when she removed it, Sanosuke's arm was completely devoid of the wound—even the blood was gone.

"What the..?" Hijikata was the first to shake the minor shock and was going to ask Kyouko how the hell that happened when she lost consciousness and fell onto Sanosuke's chest. "Oi, Kyouko?!"

* * *

The following day, Kyouko still hadn't woken up. The unit captains went in and out of her room to check on her but Chizuru had never left her alone; not for more than two hours. She merely prepared the meals for the men but positioned herself back in front of her sleeping friend as soon as her tasks were completed.

It was already dusk when her friend's eyes finally fluttered open, revealing weary crimson irises. "Kyouko-chan, you're awake!" Chizuru spun in her heels to go outside and get something for her to eat but the blonde held onto the end of her hakama. "Ch-Chizuru-chan.. Don't tell anyone that I regained consciousness. I need to see Sen-chan.. Please.."

"I-I see.. But first we—"

"Please.."

When she knelt back down, Kyouko abruptly stood to change clothes. She glanced at her friend and beamed sheepishly. Unfortunately, that wasn't good enough for Chizuru. "Can't it wait until tomorrow? You're still unwell, so quit pretending you aren't."

Sighing heavily, she tied her long blonde hair into a loose bun and regarded Chizuru with a melancholic expression. "I need to see her _now._ Don't worry about me, Chizuru-chan. I may be just half an oni but I still can handle myself."

Standing up as well, Chizuru placed both her dainty hands to her hips to appear intimidating—despite being an inch shorter than her. "No, I'm coming with you. We're going to Shimabara together."

She had no idea why the blonde started laughing; her eyes crinkled and it made her look all cute and girly. _It's ridiculous that I didn't notice their resemblance at first sight but somehow.. I still can't believe that she's Kazama-san's sister after all._ Kyouko halted her mirth but one look at Chizuru and she was chortling again. "Um.. what's so funny?"

One nimble finger was raised, pointing at her. "You! You sound like Nagakura-san when you said that. Try removing all the seriousness and it would appear like you were mimicking him when talking to Heisuke-kun."

"And here I am so worried for you.." Chizuru giggled despite herself. The two girls quietly slipped outside the Shinsengumi headquarters as a lone figure stood at the front gates, his arms crossed and a smirk dancing across his feline features. "Now where are those two going?

* * *

*Imouto – little sister.

 **RK:** Yep, Kyouko's a half-blood. I hope I didn't make a lot of grammar mistakes, misspelled words, etc. due to sleeplessness. The need to sleep is pulling my every being but I've fought its seduction just to finish this ahaha. There would be more chapters that would dwell on Kyouko and Chikage's past but rest assured, the KazaSen moments are just around the corner.

I'll be back to edit this (if there are indeed grammatical errors) as soon as I indulged myself with some shut-eye. Reviews are very, very, very much appreciated so please leave some.

 **(Updated 03/18/17)**


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